No strings attached
John Legend already had 10 Grammys and an Academy Award to his name (theme song from "Selma"). Can an Emmy be far behind? His best bet currently might be the new season of "Sing It On," his reality show that pits a cappella groups against each other. Legend is a former member of the University of Pennsylvania's Counterparts, which made it to the finals of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella. Nice, but not as cool as an Oscar.
8 p.m. Pop TV
Fangs for the memory
Those expecting "Viper Queens" to be a "Real Housewives" reunion will be disappointed to learn that this new special is actually about a different breed of snakes, the kind you find in deserts and jungles. The emphasis here is less on notoriety and more on nurturing as filmmakers travel the globe to examine the motherly side of the slithery species.
7 p.m. Smithsonian Channel
The Oliver twist
It's too early in my book to give serious consideration to having James Corden take over "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," but if you insist on believing that the current host can't turn things around, I hope you'll campaign for John Oliver, who has turned his HBO show "Last Week Tonight" into the best slice of political comedy on the air. The idea of having him on five nights a week makes me almost delirious. Those not tuned into Oliver on a regular basis can watch him reunite with his former "Daily Show" colleague on Colbert's next-to-last live broadcast during the conventions.
10:35 p.m. WCCO, Ch. 4
Neal Justin
